What to do If

Expert advice on what to do if a dashboard warning light appears, plus how to prepare for and prevent other auto emergencies.

What do you do if a dashboard warning light comes on? Our experts tell you how to respond to these and other common roadside emergencies. We also include tips on preventative maintenance that’ll help avoid these troubles.

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine:December/January 2013

Overview: “What to do if“ tips for warning lights, emergency kits and maintenance

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Auto breakdown

Breakdowns don’t happen often, but it pays to know what to do if they do occur.

In a quick survey of coworkers
and friends, I discovered
that many people really
don’t know what to do if a
warning light appears on their
dash. And they’re just as confused
when it comes to which
maintenance services are really
important. So I’ve put together
these tip lists for warning lights,
maintenance services, driving
advice and emergency kits. I
guarantee you’ll find something
here to help you be a safer,
smarter driver and car owner.

What to do if warning lights come on

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Dashboard warning lights

The warning lights flash on, then go off, when you start your car. If any remain on or come on while driving, follow our “what to do” guidelines below.

You’re driving down the road and your “HOT” light comes on. If your first thought is, “You’re hot? I’m sweatin’ bullets in
here,” you’ve failed to understand the seriousness of the situation. Those warning lights aren’t a joke. If you ignore them
and keep driving, you’re setting yourself up for major repair bills. In the items below we tell you what the lights mean and what you should do if
any of them come on when you’re driving.

Warning light: TPS (Tire Pressure Sensor)

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Tire Pressure Sensor light

The Tire Pressure Sensor light tells you that you have an underinflated tire.

At
least one tire is
low on air pressure.
Fill it as
soon as possible.
Driving on an
underinflated
tire can cause a
blowout, possibly
resulting in
an “at-fault”
accident. Air is
free (or cheap).
But a new tire is
about $125, and
an accident will
cost you your
deductible
and increased
premiums in
the future.

Warning light: Oil

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Oil light

Stop in a safe spot when the oil light comes on and check the oil level in the engine.

The oil pressure
is too low to
keep driving. Pull
over to a safe
spot immediately.
Check the
oil level. If it’s low
and you have oil
on hand, add it
and see if the
light goes out. If
you don’t have
oil, call a tow
truck or ask
someone to
make a roadside
delivery. It’s
better to spend
$150 on a tow
than $4,000 to
replace a seized
engine.

Warning light: Engine hot

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Hot light

The hot light indicates engine overheating. Pull over in a safe spot and call for service.

The
engine is overheated.
Pull
over to a safe
spot immediately.
Open the
hood, then call
a tow truck
($150 average
tow to the nearest
shop). If you
keep driving,
you can warp
the cylinder
head (minimum
$1,000 repair
bill) or completely
destroy
your engine.

Warning light: Battery

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Battery light

You have a battery problem. Drive to the nearest repair shop for diagnosis.

Something is
wrong with the
battery or
charging
system. Turn
off all high-load
electrical
accessories
such as the air
conditioning,
heater fan and
rear window
defogger, and
drive to the
nearest shop.

Warning light: Flashing “Check Engine”

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Check Engine light

When the Check Engine light flashes, pull over to a safe spot and call for service.

The
computer has
detected a
misfire serious
enough to
damage your
catalytic converter.
Pull over
to a safe place
or drive to the
nearest exit and
call a tow truck.
Get the underlying
misfire problem
fixed right
away—a new
catalytic converter
can cost
$1,500.

Warning light: Steady-on “Check Engine”

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Steady-on Check Engine light

When the Check Engine light comes on, make a service appointment to have it checked out.

The
computer has
detected a
problem with
the engine or
the emissions
system. If the
vehicle is running
fine, you
don’t have to
rush in for service.
But if it’s
running rough,
stalls, hesitates
on acceleration
or gets poor gas
mileage, make
an appointment
to get it checked
out sooner
rather than later.

5 Maintenance tips: What to do to keep your engine running

Shops recommend 30,000-, 60,000- and 90,000-mile services that can easily cost $400. The majority of the items
on those lists are inspections. Sure, they’re important, but the “replace” items are the most important. Here are the top
five items you must replace in order to avoid major repair bills later.

1. Transmission fluid
If you put on
200,000 miles during
the life of the car,
you’ll spend about
$800 on fluid
changes. If you skip
the fluid changes,
you’ll only have $800
to put toward the
$2,000 cost for a
transmission rebuild.
Did you buy an
extended warranty?
Well, you just voided
that, too. It never pays
to skip this service.

2. Coolant
If you
change the newer
long-life coolants
twice over a
200,000-mile
period, you’ll
spend $300. If
you don’t change
it, plan on spending
about $1,800
on a new radiator,
heater core and
water pump. Kiss
the extended
warranty goodbye,
too. For best
results, always
use genuine factory
coolant.

3. Oil filter
You
already know how
important oil
changes and synthetic
oil are to the
life of your engine.
But an extended-life
oil filter is just as
important. They cost
about $10 but are
rated to last 7,000 to
10,000 miles.
Economy filters start
to clog and self-destruct
after about
4,000 miles. Once
the filter media disintegrates,
it can
spew debris into
critical parts and
cause thousands in
repair bills.

4. Spark plugs
Newer-style platinum/iridium spark
plugs are rated for
100,000 miles. But
they start misfiring
at about 80,000
miles. Misfires
damage spark plug
wires, ignition coils,
ignition modules
and sometimes
even your catalytic
converter. If you
don’t change the
plugs, you can
count on a minimum
of $400 in
ignition system–related repairs.

5. Timing belt
A broken timing belt
will leave you
stranded (if your
engine has one). If
you’re lucky, you’ll
just have to pay
$150 for a tow and
then $600 (parts
and labor) for the
new belt. But if you
have a certain type
of engine (called
an “interference”
engine) and the
belt breaks while
you’re driving, it’ll
destroy your
engine, costing you
about $4,000.

Dirty fluids and worn spark plug

Regular Service Items to Avoid Future Engine Trouble

Following the service manual maintenance guidelines will help avoid trouble caused by dirty engine fluids and spark plugs.

What to pack in an emergency kit

If you follow every expert’s
advice on what to carry in the
event of an emergency,
you’d have a trunk full of
supplies (especially
candy bars). I’m not disputing
the value of carrying
all those items, but
I don’t know anyone
who does. So I’ve
assembled a list of
“must-have” items
that take up very little space
and can really help you in an emergency. To help you remember these items, clip this section and stuff it in your
glove box.

Pad/pencil for accident information

Air compressor to inflate your spare tire

Duct tape to use as a handyman bandage or to reattach vehicle parts after an accident

Cell phone charger to keep your cell phone running until help arrives

LED headlight so you can use both hands while you fix a flat tire, add oil, etc.

A can of Fix-A-Flat (about $8) to fix a flat tire when the wheel is rusted in place
and won’t come off

Auto emergency kit

Keep this collection of “must-have” items in your car for emergencies. Add others that meet your local weather conditions and sense of security.

Additional emergency gear: Cold weather clothing

If you’ve ever changed a tire in the
dead of winter, you know how
quickly your hands get numb from
working with subzero tools. And
winter winds can freeze your ears in
seconds, making you unable to
even finish the job. Frostbite is a
serious risk. If you pack nothing else
in your winter emergency kit, make
sure you at least have warm gloves
and a hat that covers your ears.

Tip from reader Tim Boehnen:

“No one taught me how
to change a flat tire. So I
had to change my first
flat on the side of a
busy road at dusk. I
almost got hit four or
five times. Now, I’ll
make sure all of my kids
change a tire BEFORE
they get any keys.”

A safety app for young drivers (and parents)

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Cell phone with DriveScribe

This program tracks the vehicle location, monitors speed and other driving data and notifies parents automatically.

DriveScribe is a new
free app for iPhone
and Android systems
(drivescribe.com). It’s
designed to help
young drivers develop
safe driving habits.
Parents with young
drivers can make
using the family vehicle
contingent on keeping the app on while
driving. Some parents offer to pay or subsidize
insurance if young drivers use the app.
It’s also a rewards program: When driving
safely, young drivers earn points that are
redeemable for products and discounts.
When running, the app blocks all incoming
text messages. It warns drivers of upcoming
changes in speed limits and curves in the
road. The app immediately notifies parents if
the young driver runs a stop sign or speeds.
And it tracks the car’s location in real time so
parents can monitor the driver’s whereabouts.